The government formed a high-powered task force to rehabilitate sick industries in the categories of garments, textiles and non-textiles and settle their liabilities.
The committee was formed as per Awami League-led government’s election manifesto in 2009.
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Subsequently, as per the decision of the task force, the government had issued circulars settling the liabilities of 279 garment factories and 100 textile factories. But no non-textile factory has yet got this facility.
Even though all these industries are sick, the banks have filed cases in the Money Loan Court (Orthya Rhin Adalat) showing that they are defaulters.
As a result, they are unable to take on new business ventures. There were several meetings held at various times with Bangladesh Bank and the ministry of finance for issuance of the circular for non-textile factories, but a solution has yet to be found in this regard.
Now, the sick industry owners are seeking the prime minister’s help to resolve the problem.
The owners of the sick industry came with remarks at the first meeting of the FBCCI standing committee on rehabilitation of the sick industry on Sunday.
The meeting was held at FBCCI office presided over by the committee chairman Sadeque U Chowdhury. FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu was present as the chief guest.
They said a separate desk would be set up at the FBCCI to assist and rehabilitate the sick industry. At the same time, a letter will be sent to each chamber and association to make a list of sick factories. After receiving the list, the FBCCI will take steps to rehabilitate the newly ailing industry through discussions with the concerned ministries and departments of the government including the ministry of finance and Bangladesh Bank.
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They claimed the munsef committee was formed in 1998 to rehabilitate the sick industry. The then Awami League government had set up a fund of Tk100 crore for the rehabilitation of sick industries.
They also assured the FBCCI will provide its utmost support to save the ailing industry.
The meeting was also attended by the co-chairmen Nasir Uddin A. Ferdous, M. Nazrul Islam, Sarkar Md. Salauddin, A.K.M. Khorshed Alam Khan and other members of the committee. Secretary General of FBCCI Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque was also present in the meeting.